Crafting Adorable Turtles From Egg Cartons: A Creative Eco-Project

Looking for a fun and easy craft project to do with your kids or as a gift? Why not try making a cute turtle with a recycled egg carton! This eco-friendly activity is perfect for all ages and encourages creativity and eco-consciousness. With just a few simple supplies, such as paint, pom-poms, and pipe cleaners, you can create an adorable little turtle family to display in your home or give as gifts. So, grab your egg cartons and get ready to unleash your artistic talents!

Cutting the egg carton

To make a cute turtle from a recycled egg carton, you will need to start by carefully cutting the carton. The first step is to separate a single egg cup from the carton. Cut around the edges of one egg cup to make it neat and even—this will form the turtle's shell. You can cut out the underside of the egg cup, but be sure to supervise children during this step.

For the caterpillar variation, cut off one row of the egg carton in one piece. Trim the row so that it sits flat. You can then paint each section of the caterpillar.

If you are making a whole family of turtles, you can cut out multiple egg cups from the carton.

Painting the shell

For this project, you can use any type of paint you like, such as acrylic or tempera paint. If you're doing this project with children, tempera paint is a good option as it is less staining. You will also need a paint palette and a paintbrush.

Start by selecting your paint colours. You can use as many shades as you like, but for a simple turtle shell, you will need at least two shades of green. One shade should be lighter, and one should be darker. You can also use other colours if you wish to make your turtle more colourful.

Once you have your paint ready, carefully paint the entire surface of the egg carton section that will form the turtle's shell. Try to paint neatly, but don't worry too much if you go outside the lines, as this will be corrected in the next step. Leave the paint to dry completely before moving on.

After the base colour has dried, you can add details to the shell with a second colour. Use a darker shade of green to add dots or round shapes to the shell, creating a mottled effect. You can also use other colours to add additional details, such as a yellow or orange border around the shell. Again, leave the paint to dry completely before moving on to the next step.

If you are short on time or don't want to deal with messy paint, you can also use markers to colour the egg carton instead. This will also reduce the drying time needed between steps.

Making the legs

To make the legs of your recycled egg carton turtle, you will need green pipe cleaners. Cut the pipe cleaners into four equal sections—these will be the turtle's legs. You will need to fold each leg piece in half and then twist it together. Get your adult helper to use a hot glue gun to secure the twisted end of each leg to the bottom of the egg carton, positioning them towards the front and back of the turtle's body. Hold each leg in place for a few seconds to let the glue cool and harden.

You can also use pipe cleaners to make the turtle's tail. Simply twist a pipe cleaner and glue it to the bottom of the egg carton, towards the back of the turtle.

Adding the head

Now it's time to add the head to your cute recycled egg carton turtle! For this step, you'll need a small pom pom ball, preferably in a shade of green similar to the colour of the body. You can also use a different colour, such as grey, if you prefer. Take the pom pom and attach it to the front of the egg carton using a hot glue gun. Make sure you glue the pom pom towards the front of the green piece, so there is space for the legs on either side of the turtle's body.

Once the glue has dried and the head is secure, it's time to add the eyes. Take two small googly eyes and attach them to the head using a small amount of glue. Ensure that the eyes are proportionate to the turtle's body; if they are too big, it will look funny. You can also use a marker to draw on the eyes if you don't have googly eyes available.

If you want to add extra detail to the head, you can cut small triangles from green cardboard or craft foam to create turtle ears. Attach these just above the eyes, on either side of the head. You can also add a small pink or red triangle for the turtle's mouth, giving it an adorable smiling expression.

Feel free to get creative with the head and add your own personal touches. You can experiment with different colours, sizes, and additional decorations to make your turtle unique. Remember to let everything dry completely before handling your recycled egg carton turtle too much, as you don't want any of the glued pieces to come loose.

Final touches

Once you have assembled your turtle, you can make some final touches to bring it to life. Using a hot glue gun, carefully attach the pom-pom head to the front of the egg carton shell, making sure it is secure. You can then glue on two small googly eyes to the head, choosing eyes that are proportionate to the body so they don't look out of place.

To create the turtle's legs, take green pipe cleaners and cut them into four equal sections. Fold each leg piece in half and twist it together, then glue the twisted end to the underside of the shell, positioning them at the front and back. Hold each leg in place for a few seconds to let the glue cool and harden.

You can now add some extra details to the shell. Using a darker shade of green paint, create some round shapes or dots on the shell to give it a mottled effect. You can also try using markers to decorate the shell, which will save drying time. Allow the paint or marker ink to dry completely before handling your cute recycled turtle!

Frequently asked questions